2014/2015 SICK CHILD AND EMERGENCY/BACK-UP CARE Program Guidelines for Employees and Students

Transcription

1 2014/2015 SICK CHILD AND EMERGENCY/BACK-UP CARE Program Guidelines for Employees and Students INTRODUCTION The Sick Child and Emergency/Back-Up Care Program (SCP/EBCP) is an important work/life service for the University of Arizona, its benefits-eligible employees ( employees ) and currently enrolled students ( students ). The SCP/EBCP serves as a viable alternative for temporary sick child and emergency child care services in the home of the eligible employee or student registrant with whom the dependent child resides, when other options, such as family members or friends, are unavailable. For eligible employees, the day(s) of the SCP/EBCP care request(s) must occur on the same day(s) as the employees work-related commitments. Similarly, for eligible students, the day(s) of the SCP/EBCP care request(s) must occur on the same day(s) as the students classroom commitments. CHOICE OPTIONS, INC. (CO) serves as the University of Arizona s Sick Child and Emergency/Back-Up Care contracted vendor. References to CO throughout these Guidelines and throughout other SCP/EBCP information include CO and any of its contracted vendor(s). All SCP/EBCP materials are based upon the contractual agreement between the University of Arizona and the contracted vendor(s). In the event of any discrepancy or conflict, the contract shall take precedence. DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAMS The SCP/EBCP provides temporary caregiver services for children (birth through 12 years) of employees and students in the greater Tucson and Phoenix areas so that employees may fulfill their work-related commitments and students may fulfill their classroom commitments, with the comfort and knowledge that their children s needs are being attended to. Please refer to the following descriptions to determine which program best meets your needs: The Sick Child Program (SCP) serves children who are sick and unable to attend school or well child care. The Emergency/Back-Up Care Program (EBCP) serves children when there is an unscheduled interruption in regular school and/or child care arrangements. The EBCP cannot be used due to holidays and other planned school closures (such as Tucson s Rodeo Days, spring break, etc.) nor for the time period between the end of summer programming in the community and the beginning of school. In addition, employees and students are asked to become familiar with the listing of non-servable days, and as applicable, instructions for University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix (COM-P) students, as described under the Guidelines section titled University of Arizona Blackout Dates on page 4. EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT ELIGIBILITY Current benefits-eligible employees and enrolled undergraduate and graduate/professional students are eligible to register for the services as described in these Program Guidelines. In the case of two eligible UA registrants, or co-registrants - a pair of employees, a pair of students, a student/employee pair or an employee/student pair - both are independently eligible for the service. Two registration forms - one University form and one vendor CHOICE OPTIONS, INC. (CO) form comprise the SCP/EBCP registration process for eligible registrants. 1. First, eligible registrants should register as either a single registrant or register jointly together (as described above) using their UA Net ID and password on the appropriate UA employee or student electronic registration form ( e-registration ). 2. Next, eligible registrants are also requested to submit a completed CO vendor registration form - The University of Arizona 2014/2015 Employee & Student Sick Child and Emergency/Back-Up Care Program - directly to CO by fax at (520) or by scanned copy to Staff@ChoiceOptions.net. In the case of two eligible UA registrants, CO requests that eligible registrants begin and complete service usage under one individual s name before transitioning over to the second individual s name. To discuss this request, phone CO at (520) Eligible registrants acknowledge that, as part of the registration process for the SCP/EBCP, they will be required to provide personal information about their children directly to CO to facilitate the provision of services at the time of request. Eligible registrants agree that the UA may verify this information to CO if CO requests such verification, and to keep this information up-to-date. The University of Arizona Division of Human Resources, Life & Work Connections FORM UALWC SCPEBCP GUIDE 0614 Page 1 of 7

2 In response to their children s illnesses, benefits-eligible employees may also inquire about sick leave and Family Medical Leave policies by contacting Human Resources at (520) or by visiting Concerning unscheduled interruptions in regular school and/or child care arrangements, employees and managers can reference the University s Flexible Work Arrangement Guide, and request a consultation by calling (520) CHILD S ELIGIBILITY UA individuals must meet qualifying program criteria regarding their employee or student eligibility and status. Additionally, this program is only available to the legal, dependent children of eligible UA employees and students (this includes children by birth or adoption, foster children and children by court order) or for children who meet the University s dependent(s) status definition used for qualifying UA employee/student health coverage. The age range for dependent children is birth-12 years. PROGRAM ENVIRONMENT The University of Arizona is committed to and promotes an atmosphere of positive engagement and mutual respect. All parties (and their representatives) affiliated with the program are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner. Furthermore, registrants are expected to provide and maintain a safe and healthy environment to enable program caregivers to provide appropriate care during child care service hours. This includes registrants providing to CO on its CO vendor registration form, information about persons - including but not limited to, a spouse or other designated adults - who may have reason to be present during child care service hours. Registrants may telephone CO at (520) to discuss further. THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA SCP/EBCP USAGE AND RATES Employee and student registrants are eligible for up to ten (10) SCP and/or EBCP usages per service year in any combination. Employee/Student Pays UA Pays Full Hourly Rate One Child $4.00 per hour* $26.00 per hour $30.00 per hour for one child Two Children $5.00 per hour* $26.00 per hour $31.00 per hour for two children For Each Additional Child Thereafter $1.00 per hour* $26.00 per hour Per hour cost will vary with the number of children * Any amount of service on a day will constitute a usage. All usages will incur a 4-hour minimum charge regardless of the actual number of hours worked, and registrants will pay the co-pay for the 4-hour minimum plus actual hours used in excess of four hours. Usage time will be rounded up to the next 15-minute increment as applicable Note: The continuation of the SCP/EBCP is contingent upon funding and as such, Child Care and Family Resources is unable to guarantee the future availability of these services. SCP/EBCP PROCEDURES Registration Process Two registration forms - one University form (using your UA Net ID and password) and one CHOICE OPTIONS, INC. form - are part of the SCP/EBCP usage process for both the greater Tucson and Phoenix areas. Registration in the SCP/EBCP provides access to services but cannot guarantee caregiver availability. Interested employees and students must register each July 1-June 30 fiscal year. If a campus alternative is needed for e-registration completion, UA employees may access computer kiosks through Benefits in Human Resources, located at the University Services Building, 888 N. Euclid Avenue, Room 114, Tucson, AZ , (520) Similarly, such access is also available through its Human AHSC (Arizona Health Sciences Center) office, located at the Comstock Building, 1451 N. Warren Avenue, Room 100, Tucson, AZ 85724, (520) UA students, and employees at other University sites, please call (520) with UA e-registration questions. The University of Arizona Division of Human Resources, Life & Work Connections FORM UALWC SCPEBCP GUIDE 0614 Page 2 of 7

3 Employees and students, please submit your vendor form directly to CHOICE OPTIONS, INC. by following the instructions below. SCP/EBCP Registration Step 1 Step 2 Employee/Student Completes To register for services, individuals must first complete and submit their UA e-registration, and will receive UA Life & Work Connections confirmation through their UA account. A completed CO vendor registration form - The University of Arizona 2014/2015 Employee & Student Sick Child and Emergency/Back-Up Care Program - must be returned directly to CHOICE OPTIONS, INC. Please access this registration form for further submittal instructions. Individuals can telephone (520) with questions regarding its receipt. Submit UA E- registration X Submit Vendor Form to Choice Options, Inc. X PROGRAM OPERATIONS The University of Arizona contracts with community vendors(s) to provide these services and Human Resources UA Life & Work Connections (LWC) Child Care and Family Resources is responsible for the administration of the program. Program registrants pay a nominal fee; the University pays the majority of the cost on behalf of its students and employees. CHOICE OPTIONS, INC. (CO) serves as the University of Arizona s Sick Child and Emergency/Back-Up Care contracted vendor. Employee and student rates are valid for the July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015 fiscal year. All caregiver transportation costs within the greater Tucson and Phoenix areas are absorbed by CO. Please contact CO at (520) to verify if additional transportation costs may be applicable for your child care location. DESCRIPTION OF VENDOR The SCP/EBCP (through CO) offers caregivers who will come to the home of the eligible registrant with whom the child resides, when the child is unable to attend school or well child care. CO is directly responsible for the caregivers it employs and the quality of sick care and emergency/back-up care services it provides. CO is a commercial agency and is not affiliated with the University of Arizona. Registrants elect to use this service with the knowledge that they are contracting for services with CO and not with the University of Arizona. Neither CO nor any other agency with whom the University of Arizona may contract to provide services under this program is affiliated with the University of Arizona. ABOUT THE SCP/EBCP CAREGIVERS CO is responsible for recruiting and screening caregivers concerning health, dependability, professionalism and regard for children. Screening of in-home caregivers for children includes a written application, a personal interview, references, a health screening, CPR, fingerprinting and a criminal background check, and is described at CO provides caregivers to serve as a temporary replacement for general care (not for skilled medical or long term care). If you have any questions or concerns about these services, call UA Life & Work Connections Child Care and Family Resources at (520) AVAILABILITY OF SICK CHILD AND EMERGENCY/BACK-UP CARE SERVICES Registration in the SCP/EBCP provides you access to the services of temporary caregivers at greatly reduced rates on a Monday- Friday basis. The SCP/EBCP may not be used if a spouse or other designated adult is at home and able to care for the children. If the spouse or other designated adult who cares for the children at home is unable to perform such care, please call (520) to discuss further. In general, caregivers are able to respond to most UA requests in a timely manner; however, it cannot guarantee that a SCP/EBCP caregiver will be available for every request, nor that the same caregiver will be available to come to your home on successive visits. Variables such as the number of available caregivers and the number of requests will affect the program s ability to secure a caregiver for your children on any given day. Please note that UA Life & Work Connections Child Care and Family Resources is unable to support employee requests for sick and emergency/back-up care during the winter holiday closure or any student requests on days when UA classes are not in session. Employees, if your job requires you to be at work and/or on-call during official University holidays or winter closure, and Students, if your academic course work requires you to be on campus during official University holidays or winter closure, please call our office at (520) with at least five (5) business days advance notice to discuss further. In addition to the SCP/EBCP, UA Life & Work Connections Child Care and Family Resources can help you explore in-home care considerations by calling (520) The University of Arizona Division of Human Resources, Life & Work Connections FORM UALWC SCPEBCP GUIDE 0614 Page 3 of 7

4 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA BLACKOUT DATES (Includes Special Instructions for College of Medicine - Phoenix, See Below) For College of Medicine - Phoenix (COM-P) student registrants, the Sick Child and Emergency/Back-Up Care Program will reference the academic schedule maintained by the University of Arizona COM-P. Visit for more information. COM-P student registrants, contact UA Life & Work Connections at (520) with your Sick Child and Emergency/Back-Up Care Program administration and service questions. In addition to earlier examples referenced on the first page of these Program Guidelines such as Tucson s Rodeo Days, the following blackout dates are effective for this fiscal year: EMPLOYEE BLACKOUT DATES* Independence Day Observed Friday July 4, 2014 Labor Day Monday September 1, 2014 Veterans Day Tuesday November 11, 2014 Thanksgiving Thursday & Friday November 27 & 28, 2014 Christmas Holidays Wednesday & Thursday December 24 & 25, 2014 University Closure Friday & Monday-Wednesday (4 days) December 26, 29, 30 & 31, 2014 New Year s Holiday Thursday January 1, 2015 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Monday January 19, 2015 Memorial Day Monday May 25, 2015 STUDENT BLACKOUT DATES* Independence Day Observed Friday July 4, 2014 No Class in Session Friday July 11, 2014 No Class in Session Thursday & Friday August 14 & 15, 2014 No Class in Session Monday-Friday August 18-22, 2014 Labor Day Monday September 1, 2014 Veterans Day Tuesday November 11, 2014 Thanksgiving Thursday & Friday November 27 & 28, 2014 No Class in Session Thursday December 11, 2014 No Class in Session Friday December 19, 2014 Christmas Holidays Wednesday & Thursday December 24 & 25, 2014 New Year s Holiday Thursday January 1, 2015 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Monday January 19, 2015 Spring Break Monday-Friday March 16-20, 2015 No Class in Session Thursday May 7, 2015 No Class in Session Friday May 15, 2015 Memorial Day Monday May 25, 2015 *The University will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, December 24 & 25, 2014 for the Christmas Holidays; Friday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, December 26, 29, 30 & 31, 2014 for the University Closure and Thursday, January 1, 2015 for the New Year s Holiday. The University will reopen Friday, January 2, Employees, if your job requires you to be at work and/or on-call during official University holidays or winter closure, and Students, if your academic course work requires you to be on campus during official University holidays or winter closure, please call our office at with at least five (5) business days advance notice to discuss further. Please note that while enrollment in the SCP/EBCP may provide access to services, it cannot guarantee caregiver availability. DEPENDENT CARE AND TAX LIABILITY ISSUES - EMPLOYEES The Internal Revenue Service has determined that employees may allocate up to $5,000 per year in a dependent care assistance account established by their employer. This $5,000 allocation includes the combined monies applied to the following UA sponsored pre-tax programs: Flexible Spending Account (FSA)* for dependent care only (excludes medical expenses) Employee Child Care Voucher Program Employee Sick Child and Emergency/Back-Up Care Program (includes the entire value of the program - employee and employer costs) *You may designate an amount of pre-tax salary to be placed in a dependent care related and/or medical expenses related FSA. These tax-free dollars may then be used to reimburse you for qualified out-of-pocket medical care and/or dependent care (child/elder care) expenses. You reduce your taxable income, as no Social Security, federal or state income taxes are taken from the designated dollars and this amount is excluded from your taxable income. The University of Arizona Division of Human Resources, Life & Work Connections FORM UALWC SCPEBCP GUIDE 0614 Page 4 of 7

5 Please note that dependent care expenditures that exceed the $5,000 limit are subject to income tax. The annual FSA figures (total costs) will appear on your Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement. This information is not intended to serve as tax advice. Please consult your professional tax advisor to identify full tax implications of program use and to determine the optimal use of dependent care offerings. For information about the status of your FSA or qualified deductions, contact ASI at or at (800) or (573) DEPENDENT CARE AND TAX LIABILITY ISSUES - STUDENTS Child care can be a major expense for many students. Please contact a professional tax advisor to determine if you are eligible for tax credit. Additionally, subsidized monies applied toward child care are considered scholarship income and may be subject to taxation. Your tax advisor can advise you on the full tax implications of dependent care expenses. USING THE SCP/EBCP: A STEP-BY-STEP OVERVIEW The day(s) of the SCP/EBCP care request(s) must occur on the same day(s) of employees work-related commitments and same day(s) of students classroom commitments. To register for services, individuals must first submit their UA e-registration and will receive UA Life & Work Connections confirmation through their UA account. Both UA e-registration and vendor registration must be completed before initiating a request with CHOICE OPTIONS, INC. (CO). Call (520) if there are UA SCP/EBCP questions. At the first sign of illness or knowledge of unscheduled interruption in regular school and/or child care arrangements, UA registrants should contact CHOICE OPTIONS, INC. (CO) to schedule services at (520) , and indicate the number of children to be served. To increase the likelihood of receiving care, you are strongly encouraged to request services with as much advance notice as possible. For the SCP, CO will only provide ill child care. CO will not provide care for children with a fever of 103 degrees or higher. If the fever reaches 103 degrees or higher during the day, CO will request the UA registrant return home immediately so that medical attention can be considered. CO s business hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. UA registrants are asked to identify themselves as a UA Corporate Care Client. CO requests that (520) be the sole phone number used to initiate services, as this is the only phone line designated for transferring calls to the CO answering service after business hours. After business hours, CO will contact UA registrants within 30 minutes of their phone call to confirm the status of their care request. UA registrants not receiving a return phone call within this 30 minute period are asked to contact CO again. If a caregiver is available, a CO on-call staff member will provide all job details and directions to that caregiver. CO will call the UA registrant with the caregiver s name and information. UA registrants will have the right to request but cannot be guaranteed, the services of specific caregivers. CO s answering service will answer all calls made after business hours. A CO staff member will be available to return calls regarding care requests until 9:00 PM. UA registrants requesting care after 9:00 PM will be contacted as early as 5:30 AM the next business day (unless otherwise instructed). In the event that the requesting UA registrant is unable to speak directly with a CO representative, CO will attempt to contact the UA registrant by leaving a phone message at the registrant-provided preferred number(s), such as home, work or cell numbers listed on the CO registration form. If no direct CO contact is made and no phone messages are available for registrant retrieval as described above by 7:00 PM of evening prior to the requested service, it is the registrant s responsibility to contact CO at (520) for a status update (and to cancel the request if necessary) so that cancellation charges are not incurred. Please note cancellation information below. UA EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT SCP/EBCP FULL PAYMENT RESPONSIBILITIES In certain circumstances, a University employee or student will be responsible for paying the non-subsidized rate of $30 per hour. Some examples of situations where this might occur are set forth below: Cancellation of SCP/EBCP Services Cancellation of service requests must be made at least 1 hour before the caregiver s scheduled arrival. If the UA employee/student registrant cancels a service request without giving this 1 hour advance notice, the registrant must pay the unsubsidized rate, i.e. the full hourly amount (user cost and UA cost), for the requested number of care hours. The University of Arizona Division of Human Resources, Life & Work Connections FORM UALWC SCPEBCP GUIDE 0614 Page 5 of 7

6 For example, if a registrant calls to cancel an eight (8) hour service request for one child just 30 minutes before the scheduled caregiver arrival time, the amount the registrant would have to pay to CO would be calculated as: 8 hours x $30.00/hour, for a total of $ This applies to non-cancellations as well. For example, if a registrant fails to provide any advance notice of cancellation of a service request (such as having no one at home when the caregiver arrives at the scheduled arrival time, or cancelling the caregiver upon arrival at the home), the registrant must pay the full hourly amount (user cost and UA cost) for the requested number of care hours. UA will not pay for the cost of any care that is the responsibility of the registrant. UA registrants may cancel their request for care 24 hours a day via telephone at (520) CO requests as much notice as possible when canceling a service request. Any outstanding balance due to cancellation must be paid promptly and before placing the next service request. SCP/EBCP REVIEW PROCESS Employee and student registrants may ask for a review of child care services and billing services by submitting a written request in an from their UA account (no attachments please) here or to UA Life & Work Connections, attention Sick Child and Emergency/Back-Up Care Program, using U.S. postal or campus mail at the address provided on the first page of these Program Guidelines, within seven (7) business days of the service in question. This deadline may be extended if exceptional circumstances exist. The written request should designate if services were for sick or emergency care, dates and sequence of events, names of those involved, and other pertinent information to reflect as complete an accounting as possible. Your written request will be reviewed and UA Life & Work Connections will respond in a timely manner. This concludes the review process and no further review process will occur. YOUR CHILDREN S CARE DAY: A STEP-BY-STEP OVERVIEW To help ensure a positive care experience for families and caregivers, registrants are strongly encouraged to communicate openly and thoroughly regarding: care expectations the appropriate activity level for the children household rules (including interactions with pets) cultural and/or religious issues that may affect care services how to contact parents if the children s condition changes and other relevant topics The shared goal for the registrant, the UA and CO is to respond to the care and comfort needs of the children in a safe, responsive and sensitive manner that allows students to fulfill their classroom commitments, and employees to fulfill their work-related commitments. GREATER TUCSON AREA Caregivers will arrive at the home of the requesting UA registrant with a CO company t-shirt and ID badge, and are responsible for providing their own transportation to/from the children s home. UA registrants may request to see caregiver photo ID. Care will be provided in the home of the UA registrant with whom the child resides. Only employees and students who have completed the registration process in full may use SCP/EBCP services at University-subsidized rates. Caregivers will provide a Timecard designated for UA registrants. UA registrants are expected to write the day s instructions on the back of the timecard before leaving the home. CO will maintain a database of all UA usage. All UA registrants will be expected to sign each timecard at the end of each job. A receipt will be given for co-pay. Caregivers are not allowed to transport children in vehicles; registrants will need to make alternative arrangements with another party(ies) if they are interested in transportation services. With UA registrant s written permission, the caregiver can walk a child(ren) from home to the regular school bus pick up/drop off location, and from the regular school bus pick up/drop off location to home. Caregivers will arrive prepared and ready to focus on the daily needs of the children. Together, caregivers and UA registrants develop a care plan for the day. Registrants will be informed of the children s activity verbally and in writing on the day of care, via the company s Daily Report form. The Daily Report form will remain in the home each day for the registrant to read. Caregivers will be paid by CO. Caregivers are authorized to accept UA registrants co-pay (cash or check). All checks must be made payable to CHOICE OPTIONS, INC. UA registrants will be subject to a $35.00 Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) charge if their check is returned. The University of Arizona Division of Human Resources, Life & Work Connections FORM UALWC SCPEBCP GUIDE 0614 Page 6 of 7

7 Caregivers arriving at the home of the requesting UA registrant from CO's contracted vendor - Homewatch CareGivers - and the requesting UA registrant will follow the procedures described below for the Greater Phoenix area. GREATER PHOENIX AREA Caregivers will arrive at the home of the requesting UA registrant with Homewatch CareGivers company identification, and are responsible for providing their own transportation to/from the children s home. UA registrants may request to see caregiver photo ID. Care will be provided in the home of the UA registrant with whom the child resides. Only employees and students who have completed the registration process in full may use SCP/EBCP services at University-subsidized rates. Caregivers will verify their beginning and ending job times with Homewatch CareGivers by phone. CO will maintain a database of all UA usage. The registrant s statement will serve as a receipt for co-pay. Caregivers are not allowed to transport children in vehicles; registrants will need to make alternative arrangements with another party(ies) regarding interest in transportation services. With UA registrant s written permission, the caregiver can walk a child(ren) from home to the regular school bus pick up/drop off location, and from the regular school bus pick up/drop off location to home. Caregivers will arrive prepared and ready to focus on the daily needs of the children. Together, caregivers and UA registrants develop a care plan for the day. Registrants will be informed of the children s activity verbally and in writing on the day of care, via the company s Daily Notes form. The Daily Notes form will remain in the home each day for the registrant to read. Caregivers will be paid by CO. Homewatch CareGivers will request that registrants provide their credit card information for co-pay purposes before the conclusion of the arrangement process. Registrants, please confirm your card s payment acceptance with Homewatch CareGivers regarding your request. Call CO at (520) regarding payment questions. IMPORTANT REFERENCES Please direct your questions to the appropriate unit or agency below. UA Life & Work Connections Child Care and Family Resources 1125 N. Vine, Rm. 211 Tucson, AZ University of Arizona Human Resources - Benefits University Services Building, Rm N. Euclid Ave. Tucson, AZ CHOICE OPTIONS, INC N. Swan Rd., Suite 190 Tucson, AZ (520) (520) (520) The University of Arizona Division of Human Resources, Life & Work Connections FORM UALWC SCPEBCP GUIDE 0614 Page 7 of 7